MSU Pride Community Centre
Room 221, McMaster University Students Centre, 1290 Main St. West L8S 4S4 Hamilton, ON, Canada

Friday is Trans Day of Remembrance and on this day we have two events dedicated to Trans folks run with the wonderful MSU Women and Gender Equity Network - WGEN . We’ll be holding a Virtual Vigil on Discord with and in the evening we have inTRANSient: We’re Still here to celebrate the trans lives which are present today. Sign up for these events at https://tinyurl.com/y4rtk47t. [IMAGE DESCRIPTION: The background is a pale blue colour. In black at the top left corner reads..., MSU Pride Community Centre Presents. Underneath this, in a bold, mustard yellow reads 2STLGBQIA+ History Week. Beside this, in a darker blue shade, reads, November 16-20. Below both of these reads, History in the making: an ongoing resistance. Underneath this is a cardboard protest banner held by two hands. . Below the sign, in the bottom left corner, are a number of fists in the air. To the right of this reads, Participate in an event and be entered into a raffle! Register at: https://tinyurl.com/y4rtk47t. Below this, in the bottom right corner, are the PCC and MSU logos in black.] The text in the cardboard sign reads Trans Day of Remembrance: Translating History, 1-5PM, With MSU WGEN, Honour TDoR with WGEN and the PCC through our virtual vigil. Drop by on Discord to acknowledge the ongoing violence against the trans community and recognize our resistance and resilience. . inTRANSient: We’re Still Here, 7-9PM, With MSU WGEN, Closed to trans folks and their friends A space to celebrate the trans lives that continue to exist. Drop by to build community and solidarity with others on this difficult day, and embrace the fact that we are here and we have always been here.]

Reminder that our Disabled and Queer Community Art Circle + our Drag King Show will be happening tomorrow night

Audre Lorde was a Black, Lesbian poet integral in shaping both feminist and lesbian culture. Lorde dedicated both her life and her creative talent to confronting and addressing injustices of racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, and homophobia. See our post below to learn more about her: ALT TEXT: The first graphic has a light cream background and features light orange rings with dots across the top left and bottom right corners. In the bottom left corner, it reads Audre L...orde. The Pride Community Centre and MSU logos are in the bottom right corner. In the center of the image, there is a circular headshot of Audre Lorde, a Black woman with an afro haircut wearing a loose cut shirt . The remaining graphics have the same rings in the corners, with the Pride Community Centre logos in the bottom right corner. The second slide says About in the upper left corner and there is a body of text that reads, Audre Lorde (1934 -1992) was a Black Lesbian poet integral in shaping both feminist and lesbian culture. In college, approximately 15 years prior to the Stonewall Riots, Lorde came out as lesbian. From then on, she actively participated in 2STLGBQIA+ culture at Greenwich Village. She fashioned The Theory of Difference, which advocated that feminism is founded on the understanding that oppressive forces are interrelated, that taking a stand is required to achieve equality, and that revolution is an ongoing process The third graphic says Impacts as a Writer in the upper left corner and in the center there is a body of text that reads, Whilst working as a librarian and raising her children, Lorde articulated poetry proclaiming visibility of marginalized communities, regarding intersectionality between sexual orientation, gender identity, and race, and combating oppression. She elaborated upon her story through her biomythography, a term Lorde conceptualized to encompass a written work containing biography, history, and myth.See Zami: A New Spelling of My Name and Sister Outsider. by Lorde. . The fourth graphic says Key Impacts and Facts in the upper left corner and in the center there is a body of text which reads, Lorde participated in the 1979 National March on Washigton for Lesbian and Gay Rights. Co-founded Kitchen Table: Women of Colour Press, a Black-run feminist press company. For her efforts, Audre Lorde was named a New York State Poet Laureate See more

Upcoming on Thursday for 2STLGBQIA+ History Week, we have an exciting Queer History Trivia night, covering topics from identity, famous people and events running from 7 to 9pm. Participation in trivia could win you a $10 gift card to Starbucks! Sign up at https://tinyurl.com/y4rtk47t. See you soon [IMAGE DESCRIPTION: The background is a pale blue colour. In black at the top left corner reads, MSU Pride Community Centre Presents. Underneath this, in a bold, mustard yellow... reads 2STLGBQIA+ History Week. Beside this, in a darker blue shade, reads, November 16-20. Below both of these reads, History in the making: an ongoing resistance. Underneath this is a cardboard protest banner held by two hands. . Below the sign, in the bottom left corner, are a number of fists in the air. To the right of this reads, Participate in an event and be entered into a raffle! Register at: https://tinyurl.com/y4rtk47t. Below this, in the bottom right corner, are the PCC and MSU logos in black.] The text in the cardboard sign reads Queer History Trivia Night, 7-9PM, Closed to 2STLGBQIA+ folks A night of trivia with questions dedicated to queer history across the decades. Donations will be accepted for this event and PCC will be donating this to a queer grassroots organization in Hamilton or the GTA. The winner of our trivia night will receive a Starbucks gift card and will get to choose the queer organization which all event proceeds are donated to! This event is taking place via Zoom with live captioning offered via Otter.ai.

Alan Turing was a gay, British mathematician, computer scientist most well known for formalizing the concepts of algorithms and computation through the Turing Machine. Additionally, a Biopic of Turing came out relatively recently (Imitation Game)! See below to read more about him: ALT TEXT: The first graphic has a light cream background and features light orange rings with dots across the top left and bottom right corners. In the bottom left corner, it reads Alan Turing. Th...e Pride Community Centre and MSU logos are in the bottom right corner. In the center of the image, there is a circular headshot of Alan Turing, a white man with defined eyebrows wearing a suit. The remaining graphics have the same rings in the corners, with the Pride Community Centre logos in the bottom right corner. The second graphic says Content warning, hormonal castration in black text on top of an orange bubble. The third slide says About in the upper left corner and there is a body of text that reads, Alan Turing (1912-1954) was a British Mathematician, computer scientist and logician most well known for formalizing the concepts of algorithms and computation through a Turing machine during WWII which lead to the German defeat. Despite his groundbreaking work which helped bring a more rapid end to WWII, Turing was charged with gross indecency as homosexuality was a criminal offense back then. Choosing probation over imprisonment, Turing also agreed to hormonal castration. The fourth graphic says Key Impacts and Facts in the upper left corner and in the center there is a body of text that reads, Worked at the Government Code & Cypher School (GC&CS) at Bletchley Park where he worked as a cryptanalyst, to break codes to view messages sent between Nazis. Largely considered one of the Pioneers of Artifical Intelligence and modern cognitive science. Established the Turing Test as a criterion for whether an AI has conscious thought. Only in 2013 did the Queen finally grant Turing a royal Pardon. . The fifth graphic says The Turing Machine in the upper left corner and in the center there is a body of text which reads, Messages sent between Nazis were coded and these codes would reset once every 24 hours. This meant that code cracking was limited to one day using various combinations with a standard Engima breaking Machine Turing believed this method was inefficient and thus tried to build a computer-type enigma machine that would be more efficient.Despite the various pressures from colleagues, he continued to build the machine and it became a revolutionary advance in cryptoanalysis and computer science. The ‘Bombe’ machine was able to crack codes within 15 minutes of the message being sent out and saved over 24 million lives. The sixth graphic is a quote by Alan turing which says Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things no-one can imagine See more

Fourth for our trailblazers campaign is Josephine Baker, a Black, bisexual, French world-renowned dancer and singer who also was active in the French efforts during WWII. Check out our post to learn more about her! ALT TEXT: The first graphic has a light cream background and features light orange rings with dots across the top left and bottom right corners. In the bottom left corner, it reads Josephine Baker. The Pride Community Centre and MSU logos are in the bottom right ...corner. In the center of the image, there is a circular photo of Josephine wearing a feathered dress with a headpiece. The remaining graphics have the same rings in the corners, with the Pride Community Centre logos in the bottom right corner. The second graphic says About in the upper left corner and there is a body of text that reads, Josephine Baker (1905 -1975) was a Black, bisexual, and French world-renowned dancer, singer, and actress. She served as a French messenger and spy during World War II (WWII), slyly hiding invisible ink messages on her sheet music and photos of German military installations in her underwear. Furthermore, Baker hid numerous Jewish refugees in her home, and dedicated countless hours working for the Red Cross. For her efforts, Josephine Baker received two of France’s highest honours, the Croix de Guerre and Legion of Honour, for her bravery and dedication towards equality and liberty, respectively. The third graphic says Other Key Facts in the upper left corner and in the center there is a body of text that reads, Baker is also known for adopting 12 childrenchildren of varied racesto form the ‘Rainbow Tribe,’ exemplifying to the world that many ethnicities can peacefully coexist. She often utilized her platform as a global star to support the Civil Rights Movement, by boycotting racist clubs and venues and participating in demonstrations, and supporting France’s League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism." The fourth graphic says As a Civil Rights Activist in the upper left corner and in the center there is a body of text which reads, "Baker was also the only woman invited to speak at the March on Washington, where she spoke on racism and segregation in America. For her immense contributions in combating racial inequality, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) named May 20th ‘Josephine Baker Day See more

This Wednesday on 2STLGBQIA+ History Week, we have Disabled and Queer Community Art Circle run with MSU Maccess and facilitated by Kate Welsh (she/they) and Mari Ramsawakh (they/them) and a Drag King Show, From Monocles to Manbuns: Exploring and Celebrating Drag King History and Culture. Sign up for any of these events at https://tinyurl.com/y4rtk47t, hope to see you soon! [IMAGE DESCRIPTION: The background is a pale blue colour. In black at the top left corner reads, ...Continue reading

Third for our trailblazers campaign is Stormé Delarverie, a biracial butch lesbian who earned the nickname "Guardian of lesbians in the Village". Check out our post to learn more about her! IMAGE DESCRIPTION: The first graphic has a light cream background and features light orange rings with dots across the top left and bottom right corners. In the bottom left corner, it reads Storme DeLarverie. The Pride Community Centre and MSU logos are in the bottom right corner. In th...e center of the image, there is a circular photo of Storme wearing a suit with a bowtie, with her hand on her chin. The remaining graphics have the same rings in the corners, with the Pride Community Centre and MSU logos in the bottom right corner. The second graphic says About in the upper left corner and there is a body of text that reads, Storme DeLarverie (1920-2014) was a biracial Black, butch lesbian, and activist, whose fight with the police at the Stonewall inn on June 28th,1969 sparked the Stonewall Rebellion. She is remembered as a gay civil rights icon and performer who often performed at Radio City Hall and Apollo Theater." The third graphic says Key Impacts + Facts in the upper left corner and in the center there is a body of text that reads, "Throughout her life, Storme used both he/him and she/her pronouns. Storme was the only drag king in the Jewel Box Revue, an integrated performance group of Black and white drag performers. She worked as a bouncer, bodyguard, and street patrol worker, protecting other lesbian women at night in the Village. This gave her the nickname "Guardian of lesbians in the Village"." The final graphic contains a quote by Storme regarding Stonewall Uprising which reads, "It was a rebellion, it was an uprising, it was a civil rights disobedience - it wasn't no damn riot." See more

Second for our trailblazers campaign is Sylvia Rivera, a Latina drag queen who delivered the iconic Y’all Better Quiet Down speech. See our post to read more about her! IMAGE DESCRIPTION The first graphic has a light cream background and features light orange rings with dots across the top left and bottom right corners. In the bottom left corner, it reads Sylvia Rivera. The Pride Community Centre and MSU logos are in the bottom right corner. In the center of the image, th...ere is a circular photo of Sylvia Rivera wearing a yellow long-sleeve dress. The remaining graphics have the same rings in the corners, with the Pride Community Centre logos in the bottom right corner. The second graphic says About in the upper left corner and there is a body of text that reads, Sylvia Rivera (1951-2002) was a Latina drag queen, a gay liberation and transgender rights activist who was also a community worker in New York. Rivera was a close friend of Marsha P Johnson and together they founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). As a Transgender Person of Colour (PoC) who had experienced homelessness and substance use concerns, she was critical of mainstream 2STLGBQIA+ activism represented by white, middle-class, cisgender gays and lesbians. She was also active in Puerto Rican and Black youth activism, particularly with Young Lords and Black Panthers. The third graphic says Key Impacts + Facts in the upper left corner and in the center there is a body of text that reads, Co-founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) along with Marsha P Johnson which offered services and advocacy for 2STLGBQIA+ Youth. Was critical of the assimilationist gay agenda focused on military service and marriage equality. She also was angered by new-wave leaders which tried to minimize the impact of Drag Queens and their culture. ("Y'all Better Quiet Down) The fourth graphic says Y’all Better Quiet Down in the upper left corner and in the center there is a body of text which reads, "Y’all Better Quiet Down was the title of the speech given by Rivera in 1973 during the Christopher Street Liberation day rally in NYC. Her speech addressed a variety of topics, however it focused on the fact that gay liberation is an intersectional struggle for racial justice, gender self-determination, prison abolition, housing, employment, and economic equality. The fourth graphic says Y’all Better Quiet Down in the upper left corner and in the center there is a body of text which reads, "Y’all Better Quiet Down was the title of the speech given by Rivera in 1973 during the Christopher Street Liberation day rally in NYC. Her speech addressed a variety of topics, however it focused on the fact that gay liberation is an intersectional struggle for racial justice, gender self-determination, prison abolition, housing, employment, and economic equalitiy.

First up for our Trailblazer's campaign is Marsha P Johnson, a Black drag queen best known for being an active participant during Stonewall uprising in 1969. See our post below to read more about her! [IMAGE DESCRIPTION: The first graphic has a light cream background and features light orange rings with dots across the top left and bottom right corners. In the upper right corner it reads Marsha P Johnson The Pride Community Centre and MSU logos are in the bottom right corne...r. In the centre of the image there is circular photo of Marsha P Johnson, a Black drag queen wearing a flower crown and a pink dress holding a glass of water The remaining graphics have the same rings in the corners, with the Pride Community Centre logos in the bottom right corner. The second graphic says About in the upper left corner and there is a body of text that reads Marsha P Johnson (1945-1992) was a Black self-identified Drag Queen, gay liberation and AIDS activist most famous for being one of the prominent figures in Stonewall Uprising. In addition to her activism in Stonewall, she was one of the founding members of the Gay Liberation Front in NYC and was an active member in the Drag Queen Caucus, participating in the first Gay Pride Rally in June 1970. The third graphic says Key Points in the upper left corner and in the centre there is a body of text that reads Co-founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) along with Sylvia Rivera which provided housing and support to homeless 2STLGBQIA+ Youth and sex workers in lower Manhattan. Played a key role on street activism as a respected organizer of AIDS Colation to Unleash Power (ACT UP)- a political group working to end the AIDS pandemic. The fourth graphic says More about STAR in the upper left corner and in the centre there is a body of text which reads STAR was ground breaking organization for the gay liberation movement and a model for other organizations. Not only did it provide housing and support, it advocated for gay liberation laws. Worked to ensure inclusion of trans individuals on various gay liberation laws. Had a manifesto outlining the group’s political ideology and demands which condemned: Homophobia, racism, targeted incarceration, police harassment, and the predatory behaviour of men in prison against gender non-conforming and gay prisoners.]

The MSU Pride Community Centre is proud to announce the beginning of our 2STLGBQIA+ History Month Campaign! This campaign will run through October and November, ending off in History Week, which we’ve packed full of events. What you can expect for the remainder of October is posts every day about different trailblazers whose strength and determination led to the rights we have today. However, we also acknowledge that we have not achieved equality yet, and that our existence i...Continue reading

Tonight is the final day for black and indigenous 2STLGBQIA+ folks to apply as being Peer Support and/or Events and Advocacy volunteers Black and Indigenous spaces are necessary and needed within the Pride Community Centre (PCC) and we are looking for Black and Indigenous folks to lead these spaces and advocacy within the PCC. Some of the groups that we hope to run this year include the Black Trans and Non-Binary Group, Black 2STLGBQIA+ community group, and Two-Spirit Comm...unity Group. This round of hiring we are looking for folks in these communities, for both our Peer Support Volunteer role and Events and Advocacy Committee Volunteer role. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or send us a message on our social media platforms! You can find the link to the applications here: https://www.msumcmaster.ca/jobs [Image Description: On top of a dark background, the text reads MSU Pride Community Centre Volunteer Hiring, Round 3. Underneath is a graphic of a rainbow fist grasping a volunteer lanyard. The text underneath on a mustard yellow background reads, from left to right, Positions available: Peer Support Volunteer, Events and Advocacy Volunteer. Fill out our application survey by visiting the following website: msumcmaster.ca/jobs. The deadline is September 10, at 11:59 PM. At the bottom, the logos for the MSU and the Pride Community Centre are found, along with the Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram handles, which are as follows: @msu_pride, /msupridecommunitycentre, @msu_pride]

Thank you for coming out to our events throughout the week. As our final event we have our 2STLGBQIA+ International and Immigrants community group open for 2STLGBQIA+ students who are either international students or immigants! Community groups are a place to chat about anything and everything with individuals with similar lived experiences. Sign up for tonight’s event: https://tinyurl.com/yb5rc2zl.

Thank you for the amazing turnout for all our events so far Tonight we have Plants, Pets and Paper happening for 2STLGBQIA+ first year students! Show off your plants, and/or pets and learn how to do some origami with us Sign up for tonight’s event: https://tinyurl.com/yynn7f47

Consent and Creativity is an event run by the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SPVRO) that will be leading a conversation on topics such as: What do healthy relationships look like during COVID-19? How can we support friends who’ve experienced sexual violence? Come out to reflect on these topics through zine making! Zines are small, creative, self-made magazines. All you need to bring is standard printer paper (any size will work) and any of the following: pens, pencils, markers, scissors, glue, old magazines/newspapers, stickers or anything else to help you get creative! The MSU PCC, WGEN and SHEC will also be present at Consent and Creativity to provide peer support during the event. The even starts tonight at 5pm! Sign up at mcmaster.presence.io. See you tonight

Thank you for the amazing turnout for all our events so far Tonight we have our Disabled Queer and Trans group happening for Disabled 2STLGBQIA+ first year students! Community groups are a place to chat about anything and everything with individuals with similar lived experiences. Sign up for tonight’s event: https://tinyurl.com/yb5rc2zl.